Tag: spicy mutton curry

Railway mutton curry.

An easy to cook, delicious and flavourful mutton curry with onions, tomatoes, garlic and some flavourful spices.

Here is a story behind this super delicious mutton curry. It takes you back to the colonial era. It was first served in first class compartment of Indian Frontier Mail or Golden Temple Mail. This spicy mutton curry also used to serve in the railway refreshment room and other long distance train to serve the British palate. It was  generally served with bread or dinner rolls.

There are many variations of this curry which indicates the train routs.

Our this week’s #Foodiemonday bloghop theme is #Colonialinspired cuisines. I think its the best event to share this less spicy version of Bengali mutton curry or mangsor jhol.

One of story behind it that a drunken British officer stumbled into the railway kitchen in midnight. At that time kitchen service was over and the cooks were preparing their own food. And their one dish was spicy and hot Bengali mutton curry. British didn’t like the hot spicy taste so the curry was changed from a spicy curry to less spicy curry by adding curd and coconut milk. The officer overjoyed with the taste and included it on the food menu of train. And he fondly called it Railway mutton curry.

Here is the recipe of one of the most popular mutton curry, a little less spicy version of Bengali mutton curry with coconut milk. Goes well with steamed rice, pulao, roti or Indian flat bread paratha and puri or luchi.

Recipe 

Mutton – 250 gram

Onion – 2 large sliced

Potatoes – 2 large

Garlic – 8 cloves finely chopped or crushed

Ginger – 1 inch piece grated or paste

Tomatoes – 2 large ground

Green cardamom – 4 broken or crushed

Cinnamon – 2 inch piece broken or crushed

Cloves – 4 broken or crushed

Mace or javitri – 1 string

Nutmeg powder – a pinch

Bay leaf – 1

Green chilli – 2 – 3 chopped or paste

Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon

Garam masala powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Kasmiri red chilli powder – 2 teaspoon

Mustard oil – 1/3 cup

Coconut milk – 1/2 cup

Ghee or clarified butter – 1 teaspoon optional

Salt to taste

Potato – 2 large

For marination 

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Mustard oil – 1 tablespoon

Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Curd – 2 tablespoon

Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon

Black pepper powder – 1 Teaspoon

lemon juice or vinegar – 1 teaspoon

Method 
Wash and drain the mutton pieces. Marinate with ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, salt, curd, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, mustard oil and lemon juice or vinegar. I have used lemon juice.
Marinate and keep it in refrigerator for overnight or 1 – 2 hour.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into half.

I have ground the tomatoes with green chillies, ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, mace and nutmeg powder. If you like you can use them crushed or broken.

Heat oil in a pan. Fry the potatoes. Don’t make them brown. Fry till the colour becomes light golden brown.  Remove and keep them aside.

In the same oil add bay leaf. If you are using cardamom, cinnamon etc broken add them too. Add sliced onions and garlic. Saute till the colour becomes brown.

Now add the tomato paste along with ginger, green chilli and other spices.

Saute till oil leaves the sides.

Add the mutton pieces and salt. Add salt carefully. We have already used salt in marination.

Stir continuously to avoid sticking to the bottom. Fry til the mutton pieces change it’s colour. Add the potatoes and mix well.

Add hot water as require to make thick gravy. Don’t make it runny.

Transfer it to the pressure cooker. And pressure cook for 3 – 4 whistle.

Open the lid and check if done or not. Mine is little undone so I have pressure cooked on simmer for 10 minutes more.

After opening the lid add the coconut milk. If you are using ghee or clarified butter add it too. Mix and close the lid again.

Serve after 10 – 12 minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice, pulao, roti or Indian flat bread, paratha, puri or luchi.

Or simply enjoy it with toasted bread.